Need frequently arises to place a medico-surgical catheter within the urogenital tract of a male patient, or the urinary tract of a female patient, for purposes of treating, testing and monitoring the urologic patient.
These catheters, known in the art as urodynamic catheters, have at least a first pressure-sensing lumen provided with an opening to be positioned in the bladder in order to obtain pressure readings as the bladder is filled with liquid through a fill lumen of the catheter and then as the bladder empties when the patient voids. Typically, urodynamic catheters will also have a second pressure-sensing lumen provided with an opening to be positioned in the urethra for pressure readings.
In the past, urodynamics investigations have been carried out using invasive techniques using, for example, catheters introduced into the bladder. Such catheters can be used for both filling the bladder and directly measuring pressure within the bladder, allowing a comprehensive assessment to be made. However, such invasive techniques are associated with severe patient discomfort, a degree of morbidity, and high cost both in financial terms and in time.
It is found that a proportion of men undergoing prostatectomy do not get the anticipated benefit therefrom and many urologists believe all men should have a urodynamics study beforehand to help identify those less likely to benefit from surgery. There is a real need for a simple, easily administered, atraumatic test which will provide information similar to that currently only available from a full urodynamics study, to give objective evidence of obstruction.
An indwelling urethral catheter is commonplace in hospitals, nursing homes, and various other patient environments. A catheter is a drainage tube placed through the urethra into the bladder. It is utilized for bladder drainage, urinary retention, post-surgery and numerous other scenarios. A catheter is maintained in position by an inflatable balloon at its tip within the urinary bladder of the patient.
Patients in whom these catheters are utilized may be elderly, debilitated, confused or combative. Hence, they may try to pull out the catheter with the inflatable balloon within the bladder resulting in the catheter trauma scenario. This causes prostate and urethra injury requiring immediate intervention; thereafter, pain and infection may ensue. Delayed stricture or scarring may result, also requiring operative means. These sequalae increase patient morbidity.